Grow Together
by NewUserNamesAreHard
Summary: Moving in with your boyfriend can be rough. But at the end of the day, it's absolutely worth it. (Written for Poirot Cafe Super Short Contest #23: Garden) (Pre-established KaiShin… because I could.)


**Disclaimer: In case there was any doubt, I don't own DC/MK or any of their characters.**

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 **Grow Together**

 **Summary:** Moving in with your boyfriend can be rough. But at the end of the day, it's absolutely worth it. (Pre-established KaiShin… because I could.)

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 **A/N:** Written for the Poirot Café Super Short Contest #23. The prompt for which was 'garden'. And first things first, some Japanese terms just in case people aren't familiar with them. The exact translations are a bit more involved, but basically…

Ne = Hey  
Tadaima = I'm back!  
Okairinasai = Welcome home!

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Shinichi wasn't quite sure what he had just carried up 5 flights of stairs, but it was labeled 'Garden' in Kaito's artfully messy handwriting. "Ne, Kaito, you know we don't have a garden don't you?"

The only answer Shinichi received was something that sounded like ' _nyeednt'_ from somewhere down the hall. That was… foreboding. Shinichi had no doubt the magician could make his voice carry into their bedroom from the bottom of the stairs if he wanted to. Which meant Kaito was being evasive. The only question was, about what? And right at the moment, Shinichi _really_ didn't need an answer. "Just don't get us evicted!" He yelled before heading back to the moving van for the next set of boxes.

Three trips up and down the stairs later and Shinichi was staring at another 'Garden' box. He was starting to think that 'Garden' referred to Kaito's less than legal collection of… whatever part time phantom thieves collect. The thing was, the 'Garden' box was heavier than the 'Books' boxes. "What did you pack in here Kaito? Bricks? Lead bars? Bowling balls?"

"Bricks. Obviously." Kaito replied with an eye roll as he set down the two boxes he had been carrying up behind Shinichi. "I could have gotten that one."

"Aren't there still three more down stairs?"

Kaito surveyed the room. "Yeah. I'll get those. They're all heavy."

Shinichi raised an eyebrow. Sometimes, if he was lucky, Kaito would just tell him what mischief he was planning. Seeing as the downstairs neighbor had been murdered by his girlfriend 15 minutes after they arrived with the moving van, Shinichi wasn't feeling particularly lucky. He sighed. "Right. Get them off the van and I'll go return it."

"Okay." Kaito practically sang. "I'll unearth plates while you're gone, so bring home food."

"Sure thing. Sushi, right?"

Kaito paled as Shinichi grinned. "Meitantei. So mean." The magician whined.

So, sucker that he was for Kaito's version of puppy dog eyes, Shinichi returned nearly an hour and a half later with teriyaki chicken and chocolate cupcakes. The latter was a bribe. "Tadaima!" Shinichi called out.

"Okairinasai!" Kaito called back from the bedroom.

True to his word, for once, Kaito had left out two plates for dinner. There was also a mug sitting next to a pot of coffee. And instantly the magician was forgiven for every irritating thing he had done throughout the day. Clearly, Shinichi was too easily pleased. But he _really_ loved his coffee. And Kaito knew him forwards, backwards, and several variations on upside down.

"Food, when you're ready."

"I'll be right there." The magician called back as Shinichi tried to dole out the food evenly. Not that it mattered. Kaito would just end up eating food directly off Shinichi's plate if he was still hungry.

"So, what all have you unpacked?" Shinichi asked. They were seated across from each other on the kitchen floor, their table still wrapped up in blankets and bubble wrap.

Kaito shrugged. "Mostly our clothes."

"You mean _your_ clothes."

The magician didn't even have the decency to look guilty. "You know how girls love to shop."

It wasn't really a good excuse for why 90% of their shared closet space was dedicated to Kaito's disguises, but Shinichi had known what he was getting into. Or he had at least suspected. Knowing really was too strong a term. Saying you knew what Kaito would do, or what he was thinking, was sort of like saying you'd unraveled all the mysteries of the universe. Even if you were completely convinced, you were wrong.

"So, what did you do with the 'Garden' boxes?"

Kaito smirked. It was a Kaitou KID smirk. The kind of smirk that said " _You have no idea what I'm up to and I'm not telling"_. Shinichi hated that smirk. But every once in a while… it worked out exceptionally well for him.

"Follow me, Meitantei."

Well, that was a bad sign. "Where?"

Kaito winked, depositing his plate in the sink. "The bedroom. Then the roof."

Shinichi pinched the bridge of his nose. Just because Kaito said it suggestively didn't mean anything. It certainly wouldn't be the first time the thief had lured him to the roof. Though, normally he was dressed in white and balancing a priceless jewel on his fingertips. "Show me."

The magician led Shinichi up the fire escape and to the roof… And he hadn't been lying when he said the box was full of bricks. A small pathway made of pavers twisted and turned and wandered across the roof. "You're always saying we need to grow together, Meitantei. I thought a rose garden was a good start."

Shinichi smiled despite himself. Loving Kaito was like riding a roller coaster. There were ups and downs, loop de loops and dizzying spirals, and every single second of it was worth the price of admission and so much more. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

"Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized." Kaito quoted back. What better comparison to Romeo and Juliet than the Detective and the Thief? A forbidden love. Their love. Worth fighting for. Worth dying for. And most importantly, worth living for.

"What color will they be?" Shinichi asked as he leaned his head on Kaito's shoulder.

"White as the moon. Blue as your eyes. And pink as the blush on your checks."

Kaito always was a hopeless romantic.

-xoXox-

The End

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 **A/N:** Where did this story come from? Well, my husband and I have picked up some… let's go with 'relationship philosophies', over the years. One of them is that you always have to remember to grow together not apart, because as people we are always growing, developing new opinions, setting new goals, and setting our sights on the next adventure.

Other relationship philosophies include: love is not enough; us vs the world; and doors save relationships.


End file.
